Wilson Philological Lectures on Sanskrit and the Derived Languages c7.12

c7.12

“In Śrâvastî there was a Brahman of the name of Adattapûrvaka (‘who had not given away anything before’). He never gave anything to anybody, whence they called him Adattapûrvaka. A son was born to him, pleasing and delightful. When he was sixteen years old, he got jaundice. Seeing the son thus, the mother said, “O Brahman, your son has got a disease, put him under medical treatment.” “Lady, if I get a physician, food and salary will have to be given to him. You do not see that this will entail expense” (lit. lessen my money). “What then will you do, Brahman?” “I will do what will not involve expense” (lessen my money). He then went to physicians and asked, “What medicine do you use against such and such a disease?” They spoke to him at random of the bark of some tree. He brought it and gave it as a medicine to his son. As he went on doing so, the disease was aggravated.”